In response to the significant changes that have occurred in the 1990s in the financing and organization of agricultural and natural resources research, The World Bank, in collaboration with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, the UK Department for International Development, the International Food Policy Research Institute and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit, initiated a series of regional and country case studies. The aim of these is to examine the impact of the changes. This book brings together the findings of these studies. It covers the changing nature of public sector research in industrialized and developing countries, including the effects of the investment stimulus created by the advent of biotechnology and intellectual property rights, and the collaborations which have resulted. The lessons learned from the different strategies adopted to organize and manage agricultural research are emphasized, along with their effectiveness in terms of the use of human and financial resources to achieve the research goals. The findings are summarized and a series of recommendations are made in terms of future food needs and environmentally sustainable development. Research managers, policy makers in national governments and funding agencies and agricultural economists will find this book an essential reference tool.

Investing to promote agricultural growth and poverty reduction is a central pillar of the World Bank's current rural strategy, 'Reaching the Rural Poor' (2003). This 'Sourcebook' addresses how to implement the rural strategy, by sharing information on investment options and identifying innovative approaches that will aid the design of future lending programs for agriculture. It provides generic good practices and many examples that demonstrate investment in agriculture can provide rewarding and sustainable returns to development efforts. It is divided into eleven self-contained modules. Each module contains three different types of subunits that can also be stand-alone documents: I. Module Overview II. Agricultural Investment Notes III. Innovative Activity Profiles. The stand-alone nature of the subunits allows flexibility and adaptability of the material. Selected readings and web links are also provided for readers who seek more in-depth information. The 'Sourcebook' draws on a wide range of experiences from donor agencies, governments, institutions, and other groups active in agricultural development. It is an invaluable reference tool for policy makers, professionals, academics and students, and anyone with an interest in agricultural investments.

Can forestry compete with manufacturing and agriculture for scarce capital or is investment in forestry attractive only when non-economic considerations--for example, the social desirability of forestry investments--are taken into account? Addressing this question, the contributors to this book assess the market for forestry products in the short- and long-term future; examine the competition between agriculture, cities, and forestry for use of land; identify strategies that private, industrial, and public investors might adopt; and look at the effects of government policies on private investors.

This book identifies issues and trends in agriculture, natural resources, and rural communities in the context of topical strategic planning. It portrays both the process of planning and the substantive content driving a planning process. .